A Moment To Change A Life
by WrittenInShadows
Summary: When Conrad ends up in a terrible accident Nic feels her life is ruined. Between his serious brain injury and her unplanned pregnancy she fears that things will never be the same again...Can she rebuild their lives or will everything fall apart? It only takes a moment to change a life...for the better or the worst...
1. Chapter 1

**This is short and might have typos but it's just to set up the story. Let me know what you think of this idea and a longer, better formulated chapter 2 will be on its way.**

"Conrad I can't keep doing this with you!" Nic yelled, she was so tired of fighting, of trying to figure out what was going on inside his head, it was just too much for her.

"You don't have to" was all he said before walking out, the door shutting behind him. Nic broke down, not because of the fight but because she had just recently found out she was pregnant and hadn't managed to tell Conrad yet. Now that she saw how dysfunctional their relationship was she was worried about what bringing a baby into all this would lead to. She tried to clear her head, deciding that going for a walk might be good for her.

Meanwhile Conrad had a similar idea, he went running he just needed to get all that anger and emotion out and he certainly wasn't going to talk to Nic or anyone else for that matter. He just ran as fast as he could, his mind racing. As he ran he wasn't really paying attention and that was the mistake that was about to ruin his life. A group of teenagers speeding down the road and Conrad not paying attention caused chaos. The car hit him at top speed sending him flying into the air. Screams of shock and horror came from the teens as they pulled over. Conrad landed in a pool of blood, the teens ran to him, all gathered around him as the panic set in. One of them went to call 911, some were crying but the street was quiet so no one else was around to take charge of the situation.

On her walk Nic noticed a group of teenagers gathered around someone in the middle of the road. She immediately rushed over to help, seeing someone lying a pool of blood "I'm a nurse. I can help him but I'm going to need some help" she was calm, there was so much blood she didn't even realise it was Conrad until she got closer. Then she just froze. "O-oh my god..." was all she managed to say, tears filled her eyes and her hands started to shake. "Conrad...can you hear me?' It seemed all her medical knowledge had left her and was replaced by fear and panic. It felt as though her world was falling apart. Things were never going to be the same...


	2. Chapter 2

**There's probably a million typos in this too because I'm working on only being able to see out of one eye for the time being. Either way I hope you enjoy this. Please review and let me know what you think should happen next I love getting feedback so I can see what you guys would like more of or what I can improve on.**

Nic paced back and forth as she waited nervously, she felt like this was never going to end. Her whole body was shaking for the first time in a long time she felt uncomfortable in the hospital. Jessie approached her and gently put her hands on her shoulders. "Nic you won't get rid of him that easily, Conrad is strong he'll get through it" this was weird for her, usually Nic was the one getting her through things but now she had to step up and support her. Nic didn't answer her, she was too upset to even speak she couldn't believe this was all happening. She sat down after she had become too tired to pace anymore. Jessie sat down beside her and looked over at her. "What aren't you telling me?" she asked, she knew there was something Nic was holding back.

"I-I'm pregnant" she blurted out, it felt so good to get that off her chest and she didn't stop there. "And.. it's not the first time. A few years ago I got pregnant, Conrad and I found out and we were still so young, our careers were just beginning but he was supportive through everything. Then..I.. I lost the baby. Conrad was there through everything and we got past it.. well I thought we got past it but our relationship ended up falling apart. I didn't want to tell him this time around because I was afraid that I could lose this baby too or that our relationship would be ruined because it would just bring up old feelings and old problems"

"You should have told me. I'm so sorry" she hugged her gently.

"But now I might have missed out on my chance to tell him. If he dies I'll never forgive myself for not telling him"

"You can't think like that... you''ll get to talk to him and when he recovers you two will riase this baby together. Don't lose hope just yet"

A few more hours passed before Nic could finally see him, he was hooked up to multiple machines and he didn't even look like himself. She gently took his hand in hers. Jessie gave her some time alone with him. She just needed to hold him, she needed him to know that he wasn't alone. She stayed by his side not leaving just in case he woke up. His father flew in and as soon as Bell found out he moved Conrad to the VIP floor, it was all about the money for him, he didn't care that Conrad's life was hanging in the balance, in fact his life would be a lot easier if he wasn't around.

When Conrad woke up Nic thought she would be relieved but she was far from it. His memories were scrambled, it seemed he had a mixture of different time lines all pieced together in his head that really didn't make sense to others. Nic felt like she eas going to pass out, she couldn't handle this, if he didn't recover from this his medical career would be over. She decided to go talk to Bell to try and convince him not to replace him and to see if she could get some time off.

"Conrad will get better you can't just cut him. If I could just get time off I could help him with his recovery"

"And what's in it for me?" he asked, not looking like he was ready to negotiate.

"Anything.. I could work extra hours when I get back or you could decrease my pay.. I don't know" when she said this he simply smirked walking around so he was standing behind her, he placed his hands on her shoulders making her feel more uncomfortable now.

"I'm sure we could work something out" he said as his hands moved further down her. She wanted to stop him but she simply froze...


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoyed. thanks for the feedback so far I really appreciate it. It really motivates me to keep going. I have some ideas for the next chapter but I'd also love your opinions.**

Nic turned around quickly and slapped Bell without a second thought. There was a moment of eerie silence between the two before she stood up. "I just remembered I have to check in on Conrad" she said as she made her way towards the door, he grabbed her hand as she let.

"Just remember that your career is in my hands. So it would be wise for you not to get on the wrong side of me" he warned her before letting her go. This angered her she wasn't going to just let him get away with this. He couldn't just treat her like she was his property.

"That might be true but I don't care. If you ever touch me like that again I won't hesitate to call the police. You also seem to be forgetting that you're not untouchable. I could have Conrad talk to his dad and have you fired" she felt wrong for making a threat like that, she could picture Conrad's disapproval but in that moment she didn't care.

"You might think you have Conrad wrapped around your finger but he won't set aside his own feelings for yours, you're just a glorified friend with benefits" that really hurt her, she could feel the tears filling her eyes but she quickly blinked them away, she hated theses pregnancy hormones.

"Well if he won't do it for me I know he'll certainly do it for his child" she said before turning to leave. Randolph Bell was certainly notorious for his ability to play on people's weaknesses and emotions and today was no exception.

"If you really care about him you'll get rid of it. A baby is the last thing either of you need, and I hope you know that I won't be giving you paid leave, this hospital is a business not a charity" he said as she walked out the door, she managed to keep herself together long enough to make it to the roof. She just needed a quiet place where she could just let it all out. She broke down into tears, this was too much for her to face alone.

She just wished she could confide in Conrad like she used to, that he could just hold her and tell her that it was all going to be okay but she knew she couldn't have that. He had survived and she was so grateful for that but he wasn't the same. She had been avoiding him for that reason, it was hard to spend time with him knowing that he was trapped inside his own mind. She knew he needed her but she just couldn't bring herself to see him like that.

When she managed to compose herself she went back inside, she walked down the familiar hospital halls that now felt so strange to her. It was as if she was somewhere completely different and way out of her comfort zone. She walked by Conrad's room, checking in on him. When she was sure he was asleep before she walked in. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at him. She gently caressed his face He looked so peaceful and it gave her comfort. She laid down beside him, she just needed to be close to him because it was all she needed right now. He gently pulled her closer to him, it seemed that even as he slept he needed her just as much as she needed him.

She sighed softly and shut her eyes as the tears rolled down her face,she missed him so much and even though he was so close she felt like he was so far away. She cuddled close to him and hoped at the very least he'd recognise her in the morning...


	4. Chapter 4

**Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for the positive feedback so far. I have a question would you prefer frequent short-average sized mostly unedited chapters or less frequent long chapters that are carefully edited?**

Nic had woken early in the morning, Conrad was still sleeping soundly she looked over at him and couldn't help but feel herself tear up up again. She couldn't bare the thought of what their future would hold. Things were just so unpredictable and she hated that, she just needed things to be okay, to have a clear answer on whether things would be better. She was lost in thought when he woke, so she didn't even notice at first until he sat up slowly. "Be careful" she said softly.

"What happened?" he asked as he realised where he was.

"You were in an accident" she had said this to him before, but usually he didn't have much clarity, today however she noticed that he seemed more alert and aware. "Nic are you okay?" he asked when he noticed her tearing up. "How bad is it?" now he was worried she would give him some devastating news but instead she just hugged him tightly and broke down into tears. She didn't want him to see her like that but she couldn't help it, the hormones were really messing with her head, not to mention this was the first time she saw him, her Conrad. The man she knew and loved, he didn't look lost. It was a bittersweet moment. She felt so happy but at the same time,the fear that it wouldn't last brought sadness to her.

"I've just missed you so much" she whispered, holding onto him tightly, afraid that if she let go she would lose him. He gently wiped her tears once she had finally let go of him.

"Its okay. I'm fine, everything's going to be fine" he didn't feel like anything was wrong with him, he felt fine he didn't really realise the gravity of the situation. He didn't realise that she had a reason to be so upset.

"You're right...I'm sorry I've just been emotionally lately" she didn't want to tell him anything, she just wanted to enjoy him in this moment. She didn't need to bother him by telling him about how serious his injuries really were or about what had happened in Bell's office. She wanted to tell him about the baby but she felt scared, she didn't know if it was the right time. So she didn't say anything about it at all, instead she talked to him about other things the topic didn't really matter to her, just talking to him about anything and being able to hold a conversation with him was enough.

When he fell asleep again she got up carefully, she still had to work, unfortunately life couldn't be put on hold while she waited for Conrad to get better. She went home to shower and to change before heading back to the hospital. This was the first time she genuinely didn't enjoy her work, of course there had been off days before like if she had lost s patient but this was different. All she could think about was when she could see Conrad again.

She kept replaying the events of what had happened over and over in her head. If only she hadn't fought with him. If she had told him about the baby sooner maybe things would . She felt sick at the thoughts of that and just to add to her guilt when she had found him she didn't do anything to try and safe him. Now or course none of this was in anyway her fault but her mind made it feel that way. She kept thinking of the "what ifs" instead of focusing on the present.

Her day seemed to only get worse when she was told she had to go to Bell's office, he and requested to speak to her. She walked in feeling on edge the moment she walked in the door. Bell was sat at his desk, his arms folded. "A patient made a complaint about you earlier" he said as he stood up which seemed to only intimidate her more. "Oh and before you ask, no I can't tell you which patient complained for anonymity purposes" he looked disapporvingly at her. "You can't let your personal issues distract you from your job, this isn't just some office job where screw ups can be fixed, this is patient care. You can't fix it if your carelessness gets someone killed. This hospital can't afford anymore lawsuits"

"Well I did ask you for time off so I could deal with things and your response was inappropriate. I didn't injure any patients, just because I'm not as talkative doesn't mean I'm careless. I won't pretend to be happy when I'm not. You act like I'm asking you for special treatment. All I except is a bit of common decency"

"Well you can have all the time off that you want because you're fired" he said as he sat back down at his desk.

"You can't do that!" she yelled, letting her emotions take over again. She couldn't help it she was really sick of him doing whatever he wanted.

"I just did. Now get out of my office" he said coldly. She was going to tell him she would appeal this but she didn't want to make things worse and she didn't want him to be one step ahead like she usually was. She packed away her belongings and headed to leave, she decided she wouldn't bother Conrad since he was probably sleeping. She would just go and see him tomorrow.

When Devon saw her leaving with a box of her things it was obvious what was going on, Nic had been fired for the second time in her relatively short career. She wasn't sure how she would ever get another job at another hospital with that track record. "Hey what happened?" Devon asked as he approached her.

"What do you think? I got on the wrong side of hodad and it seems that the only thing he's better at killing than patients is my career"

"He won't get away with that. You're one of the best nurses here"

"Not anymore" she said before walking out without giving him a chance to say anything else. She really just couldn't face people at the moment. She just needed to be alone. She still had so much to think of, how could she support a baby with both her and Conrad being out of work. They would have nothing, even if his father had money that he would gladly hand over Conrad wouldn't take it. Nic understood why, she didn't really want his money or anything to do with him either but the fear of not being able to raise their child was getting to her. Maybe Bell was right...maybe the best thing she could do to help the situation would be to get an abortion instead of just being a problem and besides, what Conrad didn't know wouldn't hurt him right? Only problem with this was it would hurt Nic. She had already lost one baby . Could she really take the life of another?


	5. Chapter 5

**This is just a short chapter, let me know what you think.. I wanted to leave a bit of a cliffhanger for the fate of Nic and the baby. Really powerful and emotional chapter will be coming up after this one. I really hope you enjoy this and I want to thank the few people who have been following this story and sticking with me even when it's not that great.**

Nic sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office, she was really nervous to be doing this alone but she couldn't avoid going to the doctor forever and this would be her first check up since she got the news about the pregnancy. She still had the thought in the back of her mind about the abortion and she hated herself for even considering it but these circumstances were complicated.

After her check up she decided to go for a walk to clear her head, this was all so stressful, she got the news that the pregnancy was high risk because of her previous miscarriage and she would need to avoid stressful situations but clearly that wasn't a possibility. Her whole life was a stressful situation and with the thought of possibility having another miscarriage taking over she wasn't really sure if she could cope. She decided she needed to see Conrad, he would know what to do and she couldn't hold off on telling him she was pregnant any longer.

As she headed to the hospital she got a phone call from Devon, he warned her that Bell was looking for her and that she needed to come in right away. Of course she panicked instantly thinking that maybe something was wrong with Conrad.. She ran as fast as she could to get to his office and burst through the door without even knocking. "What's going on?" she asked as she tried to catch her breath. She saw Bell and Marshall, Conrad's father. Seeing that he was there with Bell put her on edge, her heart was beating so fast she could feel it in her ears.

"You're listed as Conrad's medical proxy meaning you have the right to make medical decisions on his behalf when he-"

"I know what medical proxy is" she cut him off..

"So we need you to sign some things so he can have surgery" Bell chimed in.

"If it was an emergency surgery we wouldn't be having this conversation we both know that you're just doing this for the insurance money. Can't he have a less invasive procedure?'she asked. She didn't want Conrad to go through an unnecessary procedure just so Bell could gain from his insurance and for his father to simply throw money at his problems.

"He needs the surgery. He's already had to be moved to the ICU. Put your personal feelings aside and think of him" Bell was trying to convince her but she knew if the surgery really was an emergency they wouldn't have waited for her consent.

"I'll review his chart myself and make the decision" she said before going to walk out but Bell stopped her. The two clearly weren't going to agree on the situation. Nic was fully sure that Conrad didn't need surgery and she also didn't really think he really needed to be sent to ICU but Bell would profit more if he was moved there. She left the office,the stress overwhelming her as she rushed to ICU, she seemed to be on the go nonstop lately and it was catching up to her. She reached Conrad's room and he was sleeping peacefully, she stood in the doorway unable to move as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Her head was spinning and she felt as though she might be sick or pass out. She looked down and saw she was bleeding heavily and she started to hyperventilate. "N-no this...This can't be happening again.." tears streamed down her face as she felt her legs buckle beneath her and she slipped into darkness...


	6. Chapter 6

**Hope you enjoy, some of this was inspired by the latest episode of the good doctor. I really hope you enjoy. I have some ideas for the next chapter but let me know what you would like to see next.**

"Conrad..." Nic mumbled weakly as the bright lights shone down into her eyes. She was being rushed for an emergency consult, something was very wrong but all she could think in that moment was that she needed Conrad with her.

"Don't worry. He's fine. Right now we need to focus on you" a doctor told her but she wasn't really listening, she had lost so much blood that she wasn't all there and talking to her would be pointless right now. She tried to sit up but another nurse gently pushed her back down. She would need to save her strength if she was going to survive this...

Meanwhile in the ICU Conrad began to wake, he looked around the room which was all just a blurry mess to him. He noticed someone standing over him, as his vision became more clear he saw a face he would recognise anywhere...his mother. This wasn't possible...his mother had been dead for years, however in this state he didn't question it. It felt too real to possibly be a hallucination. "Mom...how are you-"

"That's not important" she interrupted him as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Am I dying?'he asked, sure now that this was him meeting his end, he had heard stories of people seeing the ones they loved and lost before death.

She laughed a little. "No sweetheart you're not dying, it's not your time yet" she spoke softly, it seemed to calm him slightly. "Nic needs you now. So you have to be strong and keep fighting. You can't leave her alone" she gently took his hand in hers. "Promise me that you'll take care of yourself for her" of course he nodded without hesitation.

"Of course" he mumbled, if anyone had been watching it would look as if he had completely lost his mind but this strange hallucination gave him a sense of comfort and a reason to keep fighting through this even though it felt like he would never get better. She got up from where she had been sitting and kissed his head gently before fading away. He started to panic as he tried to sit up. "N-no don't go yet. I-I'm not ready" he used all his strength to speak, his heart rate sped up. Nurses rushed in to see what was going on, his eyes rolled back and he started seizing, his heart rate and blood pressure spiking to dangerously high levels. By now he had blacked out as nurses and doctors worked non stop to try to keep him alive

Whenever Nic asked about Conrad she was always given the same answer, that he was fine and that she needed to focus on herself and the baby. She had a very unsettling feeling that something was terribly wrong, not just with her but with Conrad too. She started bleeding again, she heard the doctor tell rhe nurses that the baby was in distress and they needed to find a way to stop the bleeding before they would lose them both. "N-no not again..."she mumbled weakly at the thought of losing her baby, then she simply slipped into darkness...

In the blackness she saw a figure that she rushed towards, she could hear the muffled sounds of doctors yell and machines beeping but she just focused on getting to this other person. As she got closer she realised it was Conrad. She ran to him and reached for his hand but just as she was about to grab his hand she felt her whole body jolt, she gasped for air and her eyes opened. She saw doctors and nurses surrounding her. A doctor she didn't recognise stood over her, smiling a little. "Welcome back Nicolette. We thought we lost you there for a moment' she said softly.

"I-is my baby okay?' she asked nervously afraid of what the answer may be.

"The baby is stable for now but you will need to stay on bed rest, we can't risk something like that happening again. Luckily for you, you're actually further along than you had thought so you'll only need to stay here a few weeks' she explained. Nic didn't even have to ask as doctors carefully began to move her to ICU, they were going to let her stay with Conrad. She knew now she absolutely had to tell him, no more holding back.

As she entered the room she noticed he didn't look well, he seemed worse than before, she gently reached over and took his hand in hers. "Conrad?' she asked softly, unsure of what state he was in. He turned to her, he looked exhausted. "I have to tell you something" she continued when she realised that he seemed aware. "I'm pregnant..."


	7. Chapter 7

**This could be the last chapter I post for a few weeks but please bare with me. I might try to post another before I go to the hospital on Monday but if not then I promise I'll get an update in as soon as I can. This story is far from over it's just on hiatus until I get back. Hope you enjoy :)**

Conrad wasn't really sure how to react about the news of Nic's pregnancy so much was happening with them both right now so neither of them really had the time to enjoy it or prepare or even really process the fact that they would soon be parents. Nic was discharged from the hospital after only a few days and was told she would need to stay on bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy. How was she meant to spend 4 and a half months on bed rest when Conrad was alone in ICU and the only person she had to take care of her was her sister who was flighty at the best of times.

She laid down on her couch as soon as she got in the door and shut her eyes, thinking back to when she had lost her baby all those years ago and how Conrad had been there to get her through it. She wished he could be there now, she was more scared than she had ever been. She just needed him to be out of the hospital and to be able to hold her, that's what she wanted more than anything in that moment.

As the minutes turned to hours and the hours turned to days Nic felt as if she was going to lose her mind. She couldn't get a full night's sleep without waking up in a cold sweat from the nightmares she was having. She would dream of the day of the accident, seeing Conrad laying there in a pool of blood, looking unrecognizable to her. He looked so broken.. so unlike the man she knew and loved. She had never really faced the trauma of the accident and now it was all hitting her. She decided she needed to see Conrad, she needed to see him alive and at least semi okay instead of picturing his bloodied and bruised body laying in the middle of the road.

She went back to Chastain for the first time since she had been discharged, Conrad had been moved from ICU, he was recovering slowly but surely and soon he wouldn't even need to stay in hospital. When she walked in he was sitting up and talking to Devon about a patient, even when he was so unwell himself his mind was always on other's wellbeing. Nic just stood in the doorway for a moment and watched, it was nice to see him awake and aware and being able to follow a conversation. Those may seem like little things to some but after his injuries she had been worried that he wouldn't ever have that again. She knocked lightly on the door after a moment, the two turned to see her standing there. Devon quickly stood up. "'I'll give you two some privacy" he said before making his exit. Nic sat down on the chair by Conrad's bedside, she felt so exhausted already.

"Hey" she said softly, she had her hand placed on her small baby bump without even really acknowledging it. It had become a habit, something that gave her comfort. "How are you feeling?"

"I think the more important question is how are you feeling? Shouldn't you be on bed rest?' he replied..

"You remembered that?'she asked and sighed softly, she was hoping for once his head injury would work in her favour.

"You know this is important" he spoke softly to her but also sternly, the way he would talk to his patients when he would need to warn them about what they should or shouldn't be doing.

"I'm sure you miss work but I'm not one of your patients Conrad"

"You're right you're not. You're more important than that" he moved over in the bed. "But I guess since you're here already you should at least try to rest"

"I'm fine really" she tried to assure him although she did want to be close to him she was worried that she might knock against one of his IVs or one of the monitors he was connected to. However when she looked at him again she realised that he wasn't really hooked up to much anymore.

"Just humour me okay?" He didn't want her to risk her health or the baby's health for him. She got up slowly and carefully got into bed with him. He put his arms around her and kept her close to him as she cuddled into him. She truly felt safe and warm in his arms and her worry seemed to melt away for now.

She looked up at him. "I'm really glad you're back. I was worried that I was going to lose you" she tried to keep her voice steady but she knew he could see through that so she just let herself begin to cry. "I'm sorry...It's Just pregnancy hormones"

"It's alright" he said as he gently wiped her tears away. "We've made it this far. Everything's going to be fine" he knew that's what she needed to hear, he could feel her entire body relaxing, it almost seemed she had been waiting in anticipation for his reassurance. Even if he wasn't fully sure he believed his own words he was glad that at the very least she did. He kissed her head gently. "Try and get some sleep. You look exhausted" and it was true, she had been exhausted. She finally let her eyes close, she felt as though she could finally sleep without having to face a terrible nightmare.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys this is just a mini chapter I came up with when I got the chance to use the hospital computer. It's not well edited and I don't know if the layout turned out right because I haven't posted from one of these computers before but I hope you enjoy. I'll try to update more soon, this chapter is more of a look into Nic and Conrad's thoughts and where they are at now, if you're looking for drama you'll enjoy the next chapter much more just bare with me thanks.**

Nic awoke early the next day to the smell of freshly cooked breakfast, Conrad knocked gently on the door before walking in and handing her a full plate. "You should be resting" Nic spoke softly but firmly to him, as if he were one of her patients.

"I don't need to rest, I've been cleared remember?" he knew she did and didn't really need to remind her but he did anyway to give her the assurance that he was fine and that she didn't need to worry. It was his turn to worry about her now. She knew he was right so she just sighed softly and rolled her eyes in response which just mae him smile. "You need to be focusing on you right now. Besides it's not like I'm going out to run marathons, I made breakfast I'm sure that's not going to kill me"

Nic shut her eyes when he said that, she knew he was right but she still had thoughts of him back in that hospital room unresponsive and hardly even alive. She knew she should be focused on herself but how could she be when all she could think of was how it had all been her fault. She had held off on telling him about the baby, she had started a fight with him and she didn't respond quickly enough when he was dying on that road. It seemed Conrad could guess what she had been thinking because he interrupted her thoughts. "Sometimes things just happen Nic, everything we've been through doesn't have one simple answer, I know that blaming yourself helps you to make sense of the situation but it's not going to help things"

"I know, I know it's just I can't shake this feeling.. like I could have stopped all this from happening if I was just honest with you"

"Well if we're playing the blame game here technically it's my fault" he did feel a surge of guilt when he thought of Nic blaming herself for all this drama when he was the one who turned a simple conversation into a fight, he was the one who made her feel like she couldn't be honest with him, he was the one who put her in a terrible position where she felt so alone. He tried to shake the thought, he couldn't preach to Nic about moving on if he couldn't do it himself. "It doesn't matter now, we just need to focus on getting back to normal"

"How are we meant to do that? We're going to have a baby to take ca of in just a few weeks and we aren't even prepared" she put her plate down on the bedside table now feeling too unwell to even think about food. "What if we can't do it? she asked, her voice now trembling and tears began to fill her eyes. He gently took her hand in his, he wasn't sure how to comfort her because in this moment he too was scared.

"We'll be okay. You're gonna be a great parent, you shouldn't doubt yourself" he truly meant that, he had total faith in her. It was his ability to be a father that he really called into question. He didn't exactly grow up with a good example of what a good father should be. Although he wouldn't admit it, the prospect of not being enough for this baby terrified him and it was a thought he couldn't seem to shake.


	9. Chapter 9

**Another unedited chapter, sorry guys but please bare with me, I'm in a rush to post this because I don't have much time. I was also thinking of cross posting like posting this story on AO3 and posting my high school AU story from AO3 here. Let me know what you think. Thanks for sticking with me. I hope you enjoy and if there's anything you want to see from me feel free to let me know**

Nic woke early, instead of waking to the smell of breakfast like she had the few days before she woke to the smell of smoke. She got up quickly, the fire alarm piercing her ears with its loud shriek. She got to the kitchen where the stove was ablaze. She called out for Conrad as she searched blindly through the smoke for the fire extinguisher.

Once she had managed to put out the fire she went to look for Conrad, she was worried about him, something inside was just screaming at her telling her something was very wrong. She had this sense of fear and panic that seemed to completely overtake her. She started to feel dizzy but she didn't slow down, she left the house and began searching for him. She tried calling his phone but got no answer, she searched up and down the streets nearby, no sign of him. She started calling emergency rooms to see if he had been admitted. It seemed that he was no where to be found. Nic called everyone she could think of, all the while trying to ignore the terrible sickness she felt. Irving had the day off and came to help her search.

"He couldn't have gotten far, I'm sure he's fine" he said as he drove, he didn't want Nic to be stressing and hoped he could somewhat reassure her.

"The kitchen was on fire. I don't think this will have an innocent explanation behind it. He has a head injury. What if he wondered off? What if he's confused and disoriented?'

"He was cleared remember? He's fine. Maybe you should worry about yourself. You probably inhaled a lot of smoke"

"I'm fine" she said a little top quickly. "You know just as well as I do that doctors make mistakes. I'm sure you've made plenty over the years. What if the neurologist was wrong? What if it's worse than we thought?" She could feel her chest tighten as she spoke, the dizziness now becoming too much to bare. Her breathing quickened and it was very clear she was having a full on panic attack. Irving pulled over quickly.

"Is it the baby? What's wrong?" he wasn't sure what was happening.

"i-I can't breathe" was all she managed to say, so he drove at full speed to Chastain. They got to the ER within minutes. Devon was the first to approach them.

"She's struggling to breathe, I don't know if it's a panic attack brought on by stress or if it's been brought on by smoke inhalation but we need to get her on oxygen now" he didn't want to take any chances, not when she was such a high risk patient. Devon helped get her to a bed and they put her on oxygen right away but even now as she felt like her lungs were on fire, all she could think about was Conrad.

Meanwhile Conrad was walking down a busy roadway, Nic had been right about one thing, he was definitely disoriented and confused, everything seemed to be a blur of colours, he didn't know where he was or why he was there, he was completely out of it..

A woman driving home from work saw him and she pulled over, to the average person he would probably appear to just be drunk, lost and confused but this woman just happened to be a doctor and not just any doctor but a neurosurgeon. She approached him carefully, she couldn't quite tell if he was just drunk or if something more serious was going on, she would need to get a closer look at him. "Sir are you alright?" she asked, Conrad heard her but the words didn't make sense to him, it was like she was speaking a different language. He stopped walking and turned around, that's when she noticed his eye, something wasn't quite right. Her fears were confirmed? Something was definitely wrong with his brain and he would need to go to the hospital without question. "I know you're confused and probably scared but I'm going to help you okay?" still her words meant nothing to him. He tried to speak, to tell her he didn't understand, to tell her something was wrong but he couldn't and that did terrify him. She led him to her car, he laid down in the back seat unable to keep himself up. "Just hang on. We'll be to the hospital soon" she said as she drove but still he didn't process the information, he Just slipped in and out of consciousness. Nic was about to get the news she was dreading...news that would be soul destroying...news that would change everything...


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry I took so long to upload and this is very short but let me know what you think**

Conrad opened his eyes seeing bright lights above him as he heard the familiar sound of heart monitors and other hospital machinery, the muffled voices of doctors yelling at nurses filling his head leaving him unable to drift back into unconsciousness. He tried to sit up, the first thought that came to mind was Nic, was she alright? Was there some sort of accident? He couldn't remember. As he tried to move an unbearable pain ripped through his body. A nurse gently pushed him back down. "It's alright, just try to stay still"

It seemed her words didn't quite reach him as he began to struggle more. He needed to get to Nic, they hadn't expected him to be that strong considering the state he was in so he easily managed to get up. Adrenaline must have kicked in because the pain started to ease, he started running as fast as he could. Doctors and nurses quickly ran after him, he made it to the ER before one of the doctors managed to catch up and get him to the floor. "I need help over here! I have a patient experiencing psychosis!"

"Let me go!" Conrad yelled as he continued to try and get away, it was clear his mind was somewhere else, he punched the guy as hard as he could manage before making a run for it again.

When they did manage to catch him and sedate him the CEO of Atlanta general decided they would send him to Chastain, it's what they often did with patients they didn't want to deal with. Conrad didn't have his ID with him and they just assumed he was uninsured, not to mention no one seemed to be looking for him which didn't help his case.

They left him semi conscious and alone just 5 minutes from Chastain so of course when a woman found him and called 911 they had an ambulance there within seconds to take him to the emergency room. The sedative started wearing off but he was still out of it. He was just confused and scared, anyone would freak out in those circumstances. He tried to get away again only this time he was restrained so he couldn't get away. The paramedics burst through the doors. They explained how he was found on the side of the road and that he showed signs of psychosis. Nic noticed them instantly and quickly got up from the bed, tossing her oxygen mask aside and rushing over.

The paramedic suggested sedating him but Nic stopped anyone from doing anything. She undid the restraints and helped him sit up carefully. "Hey... It's okay. You're safe now" she gently ran her fingers through his hair which seemed to calm him slightly.

"What's happening to me?'

Nic felt like she might cry when he asked that because she couldn't give him an answer, she just hugged him gently. "I don't know but we'll figure it out together. I promise"


	11. Chapter 11

**Let me know what you think. Sorry the update took so long. Also do you want a Christmas fic?**

Nic didn't leave Conrad's side, no doctor could seem to figure out why this way happening to him, she knew if he was well and this was someone else he would have it figured it out by now and that made this even harder for her. Everyone was trying to tell her to rest and to try not to worry but that didn't help her it just made her feel more alone so she distanced herself from everyone and spent all her time with Conrad or at baby check ups which she had to go to alone. This was supposed to be an exciting time but instead she was miserable. She missed her job, she missed her friends, she just missed her old life. She watched from Conrad's room as everyone else got on with their lives, she watched as her work replacement made her absence hardly noticeable.

After more time under observation doctors decided to discharge Conrad, explaining to Nic that he had a complex TBI so a long recovery was to be expected. Really she had no idea of what the future might hold for either of them and that was truly terrifying but worse than that she didn't really know if she was going to be able to handle having Conrad in her life if he didn't get any better and that made her feel all the more guilty

Late one night it all just came down on her and she broke down, she called Jessie, the only person she still talked to anymore. Of course Jessie was happy to be there for her since Nic had helped her through so much. She walked in carrying some bags. "I brought comfort food" she said as she placed the bags down on the counter and took out a tub of ice cream, handing it to Nic.

"Thanks for coming" Nic said quietly, it was obvious she had been crying. Jessie sat down with her.

"What's going on with you? Conrad is doing better, you're doing better that's all good news right?"

"I can't do ir Jess...i just can't do it. i just want to be his girlfriend again not his babysitter, it's not fair"

Conrad had gotten up to get some water but stopped when he heard the conversation, he knew things were hard but he never realised that Nic saw him as a problem. That hurt him more than any words could possibly describe. He walked back to bed and laid down just staring at the ceiling, he thought back to the time before all this when they were happy, when they had a life. Really he didn't even want to live anymore but he knew that even his death would be a burden, there was no real escape. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door open as Nic walked in, he realised he must have been thinking for a very long time. He quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, he didn't really want to talk to her. She got into bed beside him but didn't lie down just yet, he could feel her eyes on him, then he felt her hand gently stroke his hair. "Please...just get better for me. I need you" she whispered, her voice shaky as tears burned hot in her eyes. She then kissed his head gently and laid down resting her head on his chest. She listened to the steady beating of his heart as she drifted off to sleep, he looked down at her. He felt a burning sadness that was so intense he felt that he might breakdown and cry himself but he didn't let himself, he just shut his eyes and tried to drift off

Early the next morning when Nic woke up Conrad was already up, he had a bag paced and he was dressed ready to go. She sat up slowly "What are you doing?" she was really worried that maybe he was out of it again.

"I'm leaving" he explained as he zipped up the bag.

"Leaving? Where are you going?" she got up quickly, possibly too quickly as she had to grab the bedpost to steady herself. Conrad handed her a brochure for a TBI recovery centre. Her hands shook slightly as she looked at it.

"My dad has been wanting me to go" he said as he sat down on the bed, he just looked so defeated, this isn't what she wanted for him she knew he would hate that place.

"That doesn't mean you need to go. i can take care of you"

"Don't you get it? I don't want you to take care of me. We're supposed to be in a relationship. I know you miss your job but you're not my nurse"

Those words had really stayed with her bur she knew he was right. "I'll drive you then" she said quietly after a moment. The two headed to the car once Nic was ready and she drove in silence

A few days had went by and Nic had tried to visit Conrad but it was clear he didn't wamt any visitors So she tried to handle dealing with things alone. After her third attempt to visit Conrad the receptionist gave her an information for a support group, she wasn't going to go but after a particularly difficult week and with her due date fast approaching she finally decided to go. She sar at the back of the room and watched as people shared their stories and hardships, she struggled to hold back her tears

"Let me guess it's your first time here?" a man sitting beside her asked, she nodded and blinked away her tears before turning to face him "It doesn't get easier but it does get better" he said genrly taking her hand in his, she smiled a little she was grateful for the support and something about him made her feel calmed.

As the meeting concluded and people filef out the man who had been talking to her earlier had stopped her. "Do you maybe wanna grab a coffee and talk?" he aksed

"Sure" she replied and they left together. Nic didn't know it at the time but this was the start of a big change, not just for herself but for her relationship with Conrad too...


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for such a long wait and this chapter isn't very long but I hope you enjoy and yes for those of you who were wandering TBI stands for traumatic brain injury. I'm thinking of possibly ending this story soon, let me know your thoughts** **. Also I apologize in advance if there's typos**

Nic was getting very close with Jake, the guy that she had met at the support group, for some reason she felt guilty for spending so much time with him when she knew she should be with Conrad. She tried not to let herself think of that, he didn't want to see her that was his problem not hers, at least that's how she justified it in her head.

One day in particular when she was watching movies with Jake at his place she got a call from a number she didn't recognise, it was Conrad. "Nic it's me. We need to talk" he said when she answered, he wanted things to be okay for them when the baby was born. Nic hadn't talked to him in a long time, she started to tear up, unsure if this was just because of the pregnancy making her emotional or if it was because the full weight of how much she missed him came crashing down on her.

"Y-yeah. Okay" she tried to stop herself from shaking. it was partly from excitement but moetly fear. she was worried thst maybe he wouldn't want to be in her life anymore.

She made plans to meet him right away because she couldn't wait, she needed to see him, she needed to know what was on his mind. She grabbed her coat and keys. "You have to go" she said to Jake before rushing off. Jake didn't even have time to question her on the situation, she was already gone before he could even speak

They met in a local cafe it was close to everything and they had met there often but this felt different, terrifying. Nic arrived first which meant she was waiting on him and she was.scared. The anticipation of seeing him was a lot to handle. When he walked in she couldn't help but stare, he looked better, not just better he looked great. She stood

up when he approached and she just hugged him. She knew she probably shouldn't especially if he was coming here to finally end things but to her surprise he hugged back and justjust held her close for a little while, he had missed her more thsn she would ever be able to understand. They reluctantly let go of each other and sat down. There was a silence between them until Conrad spoke.

"I know a lot has happened between us but I want things to be okay when the baby comes. Besides you shouldn't have to do this all by yourself"

"You shouldn't feel obligated to stick around. You can still be there for the baby without needing to be there for me" she said, looking down.

"Nic I love you and none of what happened is going to change that" he genrly took her hands in his. "We've been through too much to just walk away now. I know I pushed you away and I'm sorry but getting better was something I just had to do on my own"

She nodded. "I understand" she knew she would never fully understand but she knew the kind of person he is and this is the way he handles things, no matter how much she wanted to be there for him she knew she couldn't always be and she was finally starting to accept that.

They finally had a chance to be a little family and they couldn't be happeir but their happiness never seemef.to last for too long...


End file.
